Interior minister: Moroccan-French talks part of renewed partnership set up by king Mohammed VI, president Chirac

Talks between Moroccan and French officials are held in the frame of the "renewed partnership set up by King Mohammed VI and President Jacques Chirac," said, on Monday, visiting French interior minister, Dominique De Villepin praising the "spirit of cooperation and mutual respect" marking bilateral relations.

The French minister said his talks with Moroccan officials are covering issues of common interest, including terrorism, immigration, drug trafficking and administrative cooperation.

De Villepin, who was born in Morocco, also hailed the "important support that France received from all the Arab world" in the hostage crisis in Iraq.

This friendship and this faithfulness of all religious establishments and officials "has moved us, and I think it was the fruit of deep mobilization," he said.

Two French journalists, Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot, have been held hostages since August 20 by a group that calls itself "the Islamic Army in Iraq." The gunmen want France to abrogate its law of secularism in schools, banning any ostensible religious signs such as head scarves or big crosses in education institutions.

A sit-in was organized Monday in Casablanca to express solidarity with the French journalists and to call for their immediate release.

The French interior minister wrapped up Tuesday his visit to Morocco, after he was received by King Mohammed VI.